2015 was a disaster for Richmond. A monument to the failure of Gale, O'Neal and Hardwick. I was absolutely lambasting them on PRE. Low altitude fliers. In one of my most bizarre and heartfelt posts (something about rolling green hills and apelike creatures behind stone walls) I called Brendon Gale a "scarf salesman" decrying him as one who was about selling memberships (scarves) - not within an iota of understanding the list needs of a premiership side much less addressing them. And for mine, a battler swiz.
O'Neal was just as bad. And Hardwick was all over the stopgap selection and lack of recruiting ambition. Hartley barely rated a mention, being just another corporate animal utterly lacking in a vision and painstakingly failing in mission. Yarran much? Massively naive bungle.
By R2 or so of 2016 the seniors couldn't get the ball out of the backline unless Trent Cotchin went back there. (Houli was out.) the side was *smile*. Fitzroy *smile*.
I watched a reserves game on the TV. The side we fielded was at least toxic. Where to begin? We were playing Coburg(?) and that suburban side was intimidating us. And our players turned on each other when they weren't busy running away from the ball. Andrew Moore was a Capuano with the proviso that his locker was irradiated.
The TV showed some Craig McRae rumour addressing the side at the break.
He drew his charges in, looked straight ahead, not at an individual, and paused before he said "Body language." Quiet and intense, he let it hang in the air. Understated but focused. Stern but without wrath. It took him three years to win the flag but he got some of what he wanted straight after the break.
I went most weeks after that just to hear his addresses. And watch the progress. (A lot of us did and we enjoyed the most modest view of paradise.)
Over that season Fly established the football academy at RFC at reserves level. The standards. The strict discipline still allowing for virtuosity. The bargain - compliance for freedom. Standards for opportunity.
Not the death of ego but the suspension of it. Sacrifice for glory.
By late season he'd cultivated Rioli, George and Butler. Andrew Moore had learnt compliance but would not make it. Lambert, Broad, Short, Townsend all on the list and learning.
Pick the perimeter. Soak it up. Rip through the guts. Actual football plays all set up. We could do any of that.
Our students graduated Football 101. And RFC had a future.
2016 was a golden year. Craig McRae was instrumental.